Interesting
spell check fact: the correct spellings
are horseshoe and mule shoe; I am talking about shoes for a mule, not pumps for
a drag queen.
spell check fact: the correct spellings
are horseshoe and mule shoe; I am talking about shoes for a mule, not pumps for
a drag queen.
MULESHOES
Knowing
the difference between horseshoes and muleshoes might be esoteric knowledge,
yet it might occasionally come in handy.
A horse’s hoof is circular in shape and a mule’s hoof is a long
oval. A blacksmith-forged, custom-made
iron shoe reflects the shape of each hoof.
the difference between horseshoes and muleshoes might be esoteric knowledge,
yet it might occasionally come in handy.
A horse’s hoof is circular in shape and a mule’s hoof is a long
oval. A blacksmith-forged, custom-made
iron shoe reflects the shape of each hoof.
In
June 1974, as a newly minted field geologist, I got a summer job in Death
Valley. The Tenneco Company had recently purchased borax mining and mineral
interests from the Kern County Land and Cattle Company. This included an
operating borate mine in Death Valley National Monument, a borate processing
plant in nearby Nevada, and numerous mining claims and prospects in the
region. We were hired to relocate and
reassess the mineral properties, and to search for new mineral prospects. Field geologists are always looking for
things, and some discoveries are real surprises.
June 1974, as a newly minted field geologist, I got a summer job in Death
Valley. The Tenneco Company had recently purchased borax mining and mineral
interests from the Kern County Land and Cattle Company. This included an
operating borate mine in Death Valley National Monument, a borate processing
plant in nearby Nevada, and numerous mining claims and prospects in the
region. We were hired to relocate and
reassess the mineral properties, and to search for new mineral prospects. Field geologists are always looking for
things, and some discoveries are real surprises.
The
dozen summer hires found lodging in the Amargosa Hotel, Death Valley Junction,
at a cooler elevation than the valley floor. The hotel was a formerly exclusive
establishment.
dozen summer hires found lodging in the Amargosa Hotel, Death Valley Junction,
at a cooler elevation than the valley floor. The hotel was a formerly exclusive
establishment.
I
have never seen a bathroom with such elegant tile work. We had full access to the unused hotel
kitchen, especially the refrigerators.
Outdoors, the tiled swimming pool was filled to the brim with wind-blown
sand.
have never seen a bathroom with such elegant tile work. We had full access to the unused hotel
kitchen, especially the refrigerators.
Outdoors, the tiled swimming pool was filled to the brim with wind-blown
sand.
The
hotel’s phone number was Death Valley #3.
Another unexpected find, this was the last twelve party telephone system
in the USA. To use the phone, you held
the receiver to your ear and wound the crank.
When the Operator answered, you told her the phone number you wished to
be connected to. As you continued your
call, you’d occasionally turn the crank in order to keep the central battery
charged. Also, you got used to hearing
clicks on the line as the other party-line members listened in.
hotel’s phone number was Death Valley #3.
Another unexpected find, this was the last twelve party telephone system
in the USA. To use the phone, you held
the receiver to your ear and wound the crank.
When the Operator answered, you told her the phone number you wished to
be connected to. As you continued your
call, you’d occasionally turn the crank in order to keep the central battery
charged. Also, you got used to hearing
clicks on the line as the other party-line members listened in.
There
was no radio or TV reception in the area, and the party-line was a way for
far-flung neighbors to keep in touch and to be entertained. And we, the summer geologists, were the
newest game in town. We learned to use
the more private dial-up phone at the Tenneco plant in Nevada, some nine miles
away.
was no radio or TV reception in the area, and the party-line was a way for
far-flung neighbors to keep in touch and to be entertained. And we, the summer geologists, were the
newest game in town. We learned to use
the more private dial-up phone at the Tenneco plant in Nevada, some nine miles
away.
Another
discovery was Stateline, the bar en route to the plant. It was run by Sandy, formerly the head hooker
at Ash Meadows Brothel, now closed. The
menu was cocktails, beer, coffee, top ramen, and hard-boiled eggs. The naked lady painting behind the bar,
rescued from the whorehouse, had been painted by Marta Becket, the ballerina at
the Amargosa Opera House. But that’s
another story.
discovery was Stateline, the bar en route to the plant. It was run by Sandy, formerly the head hooker
at Ash Meadows Brothel, now closed. The
menu was cocktails, beer, coffee, top ramen, and hard-boiled eggs. The naked lady painting behind the bar,
rescued from the whorehouse, had been painted by Marta Becket, the ballerina at
the Amargosa Opera House. But that’s
another story.
Tenneco
sent me and another geologist on reconnaissance to the southern Mojave Desert
for July and August. At 2000 feet,
Barstow was much cooler than Death Valley Junction. At night, it cooled off to below 100
degrees. I had to borrow a sleeping
bag!
sent me and another geologist on reconnaissance to the southern Mojave Desert
for July and August. At 2000 feet,
Barstow was much cooler than Death Valley Junction. At night, it cooled off to below 100
degrees. I had to borrow a sleeping
bag!
In
the Calico Mountains, we followed Mule Canyon Road to the abandoned town of
Borate (1894-1907). Mule Canyon is a
narrow canyon in soft shale, cut by iron-shod mules pulling iron-clad wheeled
freight wagons. Borate’s open pit borax
mine yielded 900 thousand tons of ore.
One principle use for borates then, as now, is for laundry and cleaning
products (Boraxo).
the Calico Mountains, we followed Mule Canyon Road to the abandoned town of
Borate (1894-1907). Mule Canyon is a
narrow canyon in soft shale, cut by iron-shod mules pulling iron-clad wheeled
freight wagons. Borate’s open pit borax
mine yielded 900 thousand tons of ore.
One principle use for borates then, as now, is for laundry and cleaning
products (Boraxo).
The
site of the town dump, now piles of rusty cans and wire, is called “Tin Can
Alley”. All that was left of the town
were several dirt streets and a few pieces of concrete foundation. There were
many broken bottles and bits of iron, suggesting that bottle hunters had
already explored the site. I found many waist-high cone-shaped piles of loose
dirt with bits of broken glass scattered about the townsite. The whole danged town had been sifted by the
bottle hunters. Sifted! Dang!
site of the town dump, now piles of rusty cans and wire, is called “Tin Can
Alley”. All that was left of the town
were several dirt streets and a few pieces of concrete foundation. There were
many broken bottles and bits of iron, suggesting that bottle hunters had
already explored the site. I found many waist-high cone-shaped piles of loose
dirt with bits of broken glass scattered about the townsite. The whole danged town had been sifted by the
bottle hunters. Sifted! Dang!
We
moved on to look for rock outcrops with promise of borax. That’s why we were
there. A short incline led to a flat
railroad bed. Rails and ties had been
removed many years ago. The narrow bench
was all that was left of the Borate & Daggett Railroad. Soon we found a pile of rusty artifacts: the
dump for the blacksmith’s shop. Lying in
the twisted metal scrap were a dozen used muleshoes. Wow! TWENTY MULE TEAM
muleshoes.
moved on to look for rock outcrops with promise of borax. That’s why we were
there. A short incline led to a flat
railroad bed. Rails and ties had been
removed many years ago. The narrow bench
was all that was left of the Borate & Daggett Railroad. Soon we found a pile of rusty artifacts: the
dump for the blacksmith’s shop. Lying in
the twisted metal scrap were a dozen used muleshoes. Wow! TWENTY MULE TEAM
muleshoes.
Relics
that had been missed by the relic hunters.
A bonanza!
that had been missed by the relic hunters.
A bonanza!
© May 2017
About
the Author
the Author
Retired USGS Field Geologist.
Founding member, Denver Womens Chorus
